Sociocultural unit - master flashcard set

Study: Park & Rothbart (In-Group Bias & Out-Group Homogeneity)

Park & Rothbart Aim

To examine in-group bias and out-group homogeneity in sorority members.

Park & Rothbart Procedure

Sorority members rated how typical favorable and unfavorable traits were of their own sorority (in-group) and other sororities (out-group).

Park & Rothbart Results

Favorable traits rated more typical of in-group; unfavorable traits more typical of out-group. Out-group members seen as more similar to each other.

Park & Rothbart Conclusion

In-group bias and out-group homogeneity reinforce stereotypes and can lead to prejudice.

In-group bias

Favoring one's own group over others.

Out-group homogeneity

Perceiving out-group members as more similar than in-group members.

Study: Stone (Racial Stereotypes in Sports Perception)

Stone Aim

To investigate how racial stereotypes affect perceptions of athlete performance.

Stone Procedure

Participants listened to a game commentary, then saw a photo of either a Black or White player, and rated athletic ability and basketball intelligence.

Stone Results

Black player rated higher in athletic ability; White player rated higher in basketball intelligence and hustle.

Stone Conclusion

Stereotypes shape perception and reinforce schema-consistent judgments.

Schema theory

Mental frameworks that organize and interpret information.

Stereotype reinforcement

Tendency to focus on information confirming existing stereotypes.

Study: Cohen (Schema Consistency and Memory)

Cohen Aim

To test if people remember schema-consistent information better.

Cohen Procedure

Participants watched a video of a woman dining; told she was a librarian or waitress, then recalled details.

Cohen Results

Recalled details matched stereotype: waitress—beer/pop music; librarian—book/classical music.

Cohen Conclusion

Schemas guide attention and memory, reinforcing stereotypes via confirmation bias.

Schema-consistent information

Details that align with existing mental frameworks.

Confirmation bias

Focusing on information that confirms pre-existing beliefs.

Study: Bandura (Social Cognitive Theory / Bobo Doll)

Bandura Aim

To see if aggression is learned through observation and if gender affects imitation.

Bandura Procedure

Children observed an adult acting aggressively or non-aggressively toward a Bobo doll, then were placed alone with the doll.

Bandura Results

Children who saw aggression imitated it; boys imitated male models more.

Bandura Conclusion

Behavior learned via observation; identification with model affects imitation.

Social cognitive theory

Learning through observing others.

Identification with model

Imitating those with whom one identifies.

Study: Becker et al. (TV Exposure & Eating Attitudes in Fiji)

Becker et al Aim

To examine effects of TV exposure on eating attitudes in Fijian girls.

Becker et al Procedure

Natural experiment: EAT-26 surveys and interviews before and after TV introduction.

Becker et al Results

Increased eating disorder risk, vomiting for weight loss, and TV-influenced body image after TV.

Becker et al Conclusion

Western media promotes "thin ideal," shifting cultural values and increasing eating disorder risk.

Naturalistic experiment

Studying effects of a naturally occurring change.

Thin ideal

Media-promoted standard equating thinness with attractiveness/success.

Study: Berry (Cultural Conformity)

Berry Aim

To compare conformity between collectivist (Temne) and individualist (Inuit, Scottish) cultures.

Berry Procedure

Used Asch paradigm: participants matched line lengths with confederates giving wrong answers.

Berry Results

Temne (agricultural) conformed most; Inuit (hunting) more than Scottish.

Berry Conclusion

Conformity higher in collectivist cultures due to cooperative survival needs.

Collectivist culture

Values group harmony and interdependence.

Individualist culture

Values personal independence and autonomy.

Study: Levine (Love & Marriage Across Cultures)

Levine Aim

To explore cultural differences in the importance of love for marriage.

Levine Procedure

Surveyed students in 11 countries on love's importance for marriage and divorce.

Levine Results

Individualist cultures valued love more for marriage; higher divorce rates linked to love-based marriage.

Levine Conclusion

Cultural values shape marital norms; individualism linked to greater emphasis on romantic love.

Individualism vs. collectivism

Cultural dimension focusing on self vs. group priorities.

Romantic love

Emotional and passionate affection as basis for relationships.

Study: Tajfel et al. (1971) – Minimal Group Paradigm & Social Identity Theory

Tajfel et al. Aim

To investigate if mere categorization into a group is sufficient to produce in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.

Tajfel et al. Procedure

Boys were randomly assigned to groups supposedly based on art preference (Klee vs. Kandinsky). They then allocated points/money anonymously to an in-group and an out-group member, knowing only group membership.

Tajfel et al. Results

Boys consistently awarded more points/rewards to members of their own in-group, even when they gained nothing personally.

Tajfel et al. Conclusion

Minimal group membership alone triggers in-group bias and discrimination, supporting Social Identity Theory as an origin of prejudice.

Minimal Group Paradigm

An experimental method creating groups on trivial criteria to study intergroup bias.

Social Identity Theory (SIT)

Theory that individuals derive self-esteem from group membership, leading to in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination.

In-group favoritism

Preferential treatment toward members of one's own group.

Out-group discrimination

Unfair treatment of individuals perceived as outside one's group.

Barry (Cultural Influences)

Barry Aim

To investigate how economic systems influence child-training practices/cultural values.

Barry Procedure/Methodology

Observed and interviewed parents in culturally distinct groups, measuring child-training practices (obedience, responsibility, independence, etc.) in children age 5 to adolescence.

Barry Results

High food accumulation cultures emphasized responsibility and obedience. Low food accumulation cultures emphasized independence and initiative.

Barry Conclusions

Parents enculturate children with values that align with their economic system, helping them succeed in their cultural context.

Lyons-Padilla et al. (2017)

Lyons-Padilla Aim

To investigate how acculturation strategies affect the thinking and behavior of Muslim immigrants in the USA.

Lyons-Padilla Procedure/Methodology

Correlational study using questionnaires with 260 Muslim immigrants, measuring acculturation strategies, interpretation of Islam, sympathy for extremism, significance loss, and discrimination.

Lyons-Padilla Results

Marginalization correlated with significance loss and radical interpretations of Islam. Higher discrimination worsened effects of marginalization.

Lyons-Padilla Conclusions

Marginalization increases risk of radicalization and poor mental health; integration supports better adjustment.

High Food Accumulation Cultures

Societies with agriculture and surplus food, emphasizing responsibility and obedience in child-rearing.

Low Food Accumulation Cultures

Hunter-gatherer or pastoral societies with limited food, emphasizing independence and initiative in child-rearing.

Enculturation

The process by which individuals learn and adopt the values and norms of their culture, often through parenting.

Acculturation Strategies

Ways immigrants adapt to a new culture: assimilation, integration, separation, or marginalization.

Marginalization

An acculturation strategy where individuals reject both their original culture and the new culture, leading to isolation.

Significance Loss

A feeling of lacking meaning, purpose, and belonging, often linked to marginalization and poor mental health.

Correlational Study

A research design that identifies relationships between variables but cannot determine causation.

Bidirectional Ambiguity

Uncertainty in correlational studies about which variable influences the other.

Temporal Validity

The extent to which research findings remain relevant over time as cultures and values change.

Cultural Feedback Loops

The idea that cultural practices (like parenting) can influence economic systems over time, and vice versa.